Plants are amazing things. They have more health benefits then just eating the plant. Believe it or not plants secrete a great many chemicals and beneficial molecules from their roots, to name a few amino acids vitamins, phytochemicals and there is far more if you do the research. It seems the types and amounts vary from species to species. But consider how many plants you may have grown in a glass of water,,and later threw the water out, to be replaced with new water perhaps because it looked cloudy. That water can be drunk for its benefits. Like anything the benefits dont happen over night, but over years just may. Alot of research is about on what plants secrete from their roots, perhaps the beneficial things there should be looked into more.